Track and flange lubricator



Oct. 9, 1928. "1,687,185

. M. L. TIPTON TRACK AND FLANGE LUBRICATOR Filed April 1927' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2/ 7b 20 a a [WM F In uemor flttornqy Oct. 9, 1928.

M. L TIPTON TRACK AND FLANGE LUBRICATOR Filed Ap i 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Patented Oct. 9, 1928.

MONROE L. TIPTON', OF HYNDMAN, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRACK AND FLANGE LUBBICATOB.

Application filed A r l 5',

This invention relates to improvements in lubricators for wheel flanges and tracks of railway systems. I

An object of the invention resides in providing a lubricator for wheel flanges or tracks which are constructed so that lubricant will be supplied to the wheel flange or track along the portion of the rail subject to excessive cutting or wear, which is automatically operable upon the banking of the locomotive to which the device is applied for supplying such lubricant to the rail and the wheel flanges in a desired manner.

The invention further resides in providing a gravity actuated lubricator for tracks and wheel flanges particularly curved adapted for mounting on a locomotive or the like and operable to supply lubricant to the rails subjected to the wear at such curves, which device is so constructed that means may be automatically controlled to render the device inoperative in the caseof excessive leakage or for other reasons, in addition to a novel :means for spraying the oil through the supply conduits and onto the rails of wheel flanges with fluid under pressure. p

The invention further comprehends the provision of a special control structure for the supply of lubricant to independent spray nozzlesat opposite sides of a locomotive for automatic operation, and means of manual control adapted to limit the opening movement of the valve in any desired position or manner. I

The invention comprehends numerous other objects residing in the specific details of construction and arrangement of the parts which are more particularly pointed out in the following description and claims directed to a preferred form of the invention, it being understood however, that various changes in the size, shape andrelation ofthe parts may be made Without departing from thespiritand scope of the. invention asiherein set forth. In the drawings forming part of this plication:

Figure 11i a side elevation of the improved lubricator showing portions broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the construction as shown'in Fig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation similar to Fig.

1927. Serial No. 182,126.

1, showing a slightly modified form of .control for the valve mechanism.

A suitable oi-l retainer or receptacle is in.- dicated at 1, which is provided with a removable cover 2 having a filler opening and cap indicated at 3. The bottom portion of the container 1 is provided with a well in the central portion indicated at 4; which is formed with openings to .threadedly receive the valve seat members ,and tittings 5 spaced parallel relation. Valve members 6 of any suitable and desired type are adapted forcooperation with the seats of the seat members 5 and have operating rods 7 extending upwardly through. the container 1 spaced parallel relation and through packed openings in the cover 2. The upper ends of these operating rods '7 are provided with bifurcated terminals pivo tal ly conncctedlt-o the levers S'carried by the marsh-me.

The rock shafts are rotatably mounted in the bearings 10 mounted on the covers 2 there being a pair of such'bearin'gs for each shaft. One-end of each of these shaftsex'tends beyond one side otthe container 1 "as sliQ-Wn clearly in ig. 2, where'it carriesthe depend- I .ing operating arm 11' onthe lower end of which is adjustably mounted a .Weighti12.

:As shown in the'drawings, therelare two sets of rock shafts, one being mounted at each end ofthe container 1, whiletlifelevers 8 connected with the respective operating rods 7 for the valve 6 extend in opposed relation toward each other to the center portion over tliecover. fllVhen the container 1 .is in a normally horizontal position, the

weight 12 actuates the operating arm 11 for operating the valve 6 so as to cause them to engage their feet/in the fittings 5 and thereby prevent oil flow outwardly from the ron- .tainer through the fitting.

' The opposite end of the side vwallo'fthe container adjacent to the ope-rating arms 11 is formel with bosses 13. in which are mounted set screws 14- adapted to-en'gagethe .edge portion of the arms 11'. These set screws as shown in Fig.1,serve to limit the swinging movement of the arms 11 in one direction underthe action ot'the weights 12 and determine the seated position'of the valve and the corresponding. relation of the operating mechanism so as to prevent the application of greaterpressu-re than is necessary toseat the valves: in closed'position in the fitting. p

A cylinder is mounted on the side of the container 1 between the operating arm 11 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, at 15, in axially alined relation with the screws 14. Pistons 16 are mounted for operation in opposite directions in the cylinder 15, having the piston rods projecting in opposite directions through the ends of the cylinders and indicated at 17. The free ends of the piston rods 17 are threaded to receive the co-operating nuts 18 which are adapted to limit the inward movement of the piston rods into the cylinder and limit the movement of the pistons in the cylinder in one direction.

Coiled springs 17' disposed between the ends of the cylinders, and each piston are normally adapted to move the pistons 16 toward each other, so that the nut members 18, will engage the ends of the cylinders retaining the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1. The free ends of the piston rods 17 are adapted to form stops to limit the movement of the arms 11 in the opening movement for the valves 6 when in the position shown in Fig. 1.

A fluid pressure supply pipe 19 is connected with the central portion of the cylinder as shown in Fig. 1, and extends to a suitable three-way control valve 20 mounted in the engine shaft of a locomotive and adapted for manual control to admit air pressure from the supply pipe 21 to the cylinder 15 or to connect the pipe 19 with the exhaust pipe 22. In this way, the admission of pressure through the pipe 21 to the pipe 19, permits air pressure to force the piston 16 apart, and cause the piston rods 17 to engage the levers 11, which will retain the levers in engaged relation with the set screws 14, and prevent operation of the mechanism.

As soon as the valve 20 is operated, to connect the pipe 19 with the exhaust 22, the air between the'pistons will be forced out and the pistons will assume the position shown in Fig. 1, through the action of the springs 17 7 In order that the oil within the container 1 may be retained at the proper viscosity, there is provided a heating coil 23 within the container as shown in Fig. 3 having an inlet connection from the pipe 241 for steam under pressure from a suitable source. The lower end of this heating coil 23 is provided with a pair of discharge pipes 25 conducting the steam through the bottom of the container 1 and through the packed joints '26 in the fittings 5.

The pipes 25 extend into the fittings 5 and are provided with downwardly turned ends as indicated at 27 formed to provide spray nozzles to discharge steam downwardly into the oil conducting and supply pipes 28 which extend to a point adjacent the wheel flanges where they are provided with nozzles or any suitable terminal for directing the steam The oil is maintained in a heated condition, so that it will readily flow past. the valve 6 when opened, through the continuous discharge of steam through the heating coil and outwardly through the nozzles 27 which create a flow in the pipes 28 and causes a suction which will aid the flow of the oil through pipes 28 and outwardly from container 1. This spray will also aid in spraying the oil in a finely dividedform onto the wheel flanges of the rail, so that it will have a most eflicient lubricating eflect between the rail and the wheel flanges. v g

If desirable, the rock shafts may be operated by floats instead of the weights 12 in a manner as shown in Fig. 1, in which the rock shafts are indicated at 9' having operating arms on the ends thereof extending toward each other, and at the inner ends having ably extending in spaced parallel relation through the cover 32 of the float chamber 33, containing a suitable liquid partially filling the float chamber adapted for operating and controlling the operation of theifloats 3 1 on said rods 31. i i

The cover 32 is provided with a filler cap 35 by which liquid maybe supplied to the chamber when necessary. With this construction, it will be seen that the valves will be held in closed position when the liquid in the float chamber isin a. position shown in Fig. 4, and when the container and float chamber is in a horizontal or level position. If the container and float chamber is tilted in either direction it will operate one or the other of the floats by the rise of fluid at the lower end of the float chamber, and thereby open the valves and permit the discharge of oil through the pipes indicated at 28, in the same manner as obtained by the structures shown in Figs. 1 to 3. 7

With a lubricator of this character, it will be understood that the container 1 mounted so as to extend transversely of the frame of the locomotive, and in which one of the pipes 28 extends to one side of the locomotive and the other pipes to the opposite side. Then, in the operation of the locomotive, it will be seen that when it rides on a horizontal straight sectionof tracks, or up an incline,

or down an incline, on a straight-way section of track, the weights 12 or the floats 341 Wlll retaln the valves in closed positlon and no oil will be permitted to discharge onto the rails pivotal connection with the rods 31 slidshaft 9 which will open one of the valves 6, the set screws serving to prevent operation of the other valve, which under the tilting, moves to a closed rather than an open position. I

The opening of the one valve will permit oil to be discharged from the container 1 into the pipe 28, which is conducted to the proper side of the track to lubricate the inside of the head of the rail and the wheel flanges engaging this rail, and thereby reduce the usual cutting which occurs at curves in a most eflicient manner.

By this controlling mechanism, a considerable amount of oil is conserved, and yet it is discharged at the proper time for lubricating the wheel flanges in the rail at the proper side of the traclrway. v

It is to be UIlClQXSJOOd. that the air pressure cylinder can be used in conjunction with the structure shown in Fig. 4, in order that in either type of construction the control of the lubricator may be obtained through the oporation of a. suitable valve located inthe locomotive chair. This is provided for the reason that frequently rough sections of trackway cause considerable vibration which would provide undesirable oscillations of the weighted arms 11 allowing the discharge of lubricant when not desired.

From the above description, it will be understood that this invention provides a novel control mechanism for the feed of oil from the container 1 to the discharge p pes 28 so that the oil is discharged alternately through onepipe or the other, bythe independently operable mechanisms requiring the tilting OLE the container inopposite direclions of both mechanisms independently. ihe control mechanism including the cylinder l5 and the piston rod 17 forming a limit for the openng movement of the valve as well as a mechanism for retaining the arms in set position with the valve closed, provides a novel combination with the control mechanism for the valves to save lubricant and positively prevent operation of the device upon the supply of too great a quantity of lubricant to the rails or track flanges, while the val e seat structure, receiving the nozzles for the discharge of the steam under pressure forms a novel seat mechanism for feeding the oil thru the pipes 28 and discharging it in a spray onto the wheel flanges and track rails.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In combination, a track and wheel flange lubricator having a lubricant container, valve controlled feed pipesfor sup-j plying the lubricant in said container to the track and wheel flanges, means operated by the motion of a locomotive carrying the lubricator for opening and closing said valves in a predetermined manner, remotely controlled means for the last-named means op- 2. A lubricator for track and wheel flanges of locomotives, comprising a lubricant container, a plurality of discharge passages for the oil from said container, valves controlling each of said discharge passages, valve operating rods connected with said valves and slidably mounted in the container,

rock levers rotatably mounted on said container having laterally extendin arms connected to the valve operating re s and independently operable for operating each valve operating rod, and operating means for said rock levers adapted for independently operating each rock lever in accordance with a predetermined motion on the locomotive to open and close each ofsaid valves independently of the other and a steam coil pipe arran ed within the container having discharge nozzles disposed in each of said passages.

3. A track and wheel flange lubricator, comprising an oil container, a plurality of fittings mounted in said container providing outlet passages for the oil therefrom, a heating coil mounted, in said container, outlet connections with oneend of said heating coil, extending into said fittings and having a discharge nozzle formed on the end thereof within the fittings, said heating coil being adapted to be supplied with heated fluid under pressure for heating the coil within the container, said fluid being adapted for discharge through thenozzles in said fittings for creating a flow in said fittings'to outlet pipes connected thereto to provide a flow in the discharge pipes for discharging the oil and lubricating the Wheel flanges and tracks.

4. In combination, a track and wheel flange lubricator comprising a container having feed pipes adapted to communicate with the object to be lubricated, automatic feed operating means for the pipes manually operated fluid pressure actuated means for controlling the operation of the automatic feed operating means and a heating element for the lubricantarranged in the container.

5. In combination, a track and wheel flange lubricator comprising a lubricant container having feed pipes adapted to communicate with the object to be lubricated, automatic feed operatin means for the pipes, manually operated fluid pressure actuated means for controlling the operation of the automatic feed operating means and a combined lubricant heating element and feed pipe cleaner carried by the container.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

MONROE L. TIPTON. 

